Joan Burke


Joan T. Burke was an Irish Fine Gael politician, farmer and nurse. She was first elected to Dáil Éireann as a Fine Gael Teachta Dála for the Roscommon constituency at the July 1964 by-election caused by the death of her husband James Burke. Her victory made her the first woman to ever represent County Roscommon as a TD, and she was only the fourth woman to represent Cumann na nGaedheal/Fine Gael since the foundation of the state. Burke topped the poll in every single election she ever fought.
Although sometimes erroneously cited as a native of Tulsk, she was, in fact, a native of Bandon, County Cork. She first came to Tulsk to attend a friend's wedding and while there met James Burke, whom she later married in 1959. At the time of the marriage, James had already been a TD for 5 years. It was in James' native Tulsk the pair settled.
As a TD, Joan Burke was a pronounced opponent of the “marriage bar” which prohibited women in Ireland from working in the public sector if they were married. She was also a noted advocate for the rights of farmers.
She retired from politics at the 1981 general election.